


Words Unspoken

by orphan_account



Category: Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto
Genre: Dark boruto, Depression, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, Father-Son Relationship, Hokage Uzumaki Naruto, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Or maybe it is, Other, References to Depression, Sad Boruto, Self-Esteem Issues, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Whump, boruto needs a hug, boruto needs help, depressed boruto, dont worry, how do you work this, naruto is a good dad, this is my first story ever, this isnt as dark as it seems
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 10:35:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19766422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Boruto liked it better when his negative thoughts were just thoughts. At least then, he could pretend they didn't exist. But as he stared into the eyes of his other self, he realized that they weren't just thoughts anymore. And he couldnt ignore them.ORWhen a strange jutsu brings Boruto's inner self to life, he is forced to confront and overcome some repressed feelings.





	Words Unspoken

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Words Fail](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11838378) by [EagleInFlight](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EagleInFlight/pseuds/EagleInFlight). 



> This is my first story on AO3. I don't have a beta reader so this story probably won't be at its best for a while, but I'll try! Also, this is inspired by the Voltron fic "Words Fail" by EagleInFlight. If you're into Voltron, please give it a read! I just love the idea of having someone's self-esteem issues become exposed hehe. I love angst.

"Konohamaru," Naruto began wearily, entering the large building. "I hope you plan on telling me why my son is being restrained by the Torture and Interrogation Force."

"Okay, okay, I probably shouldn't have brought him here, but it's not like they're actually torturing and interrogating him." The Jounin paused thoughtfully. "On second thought, they're probably interrogating him. But still! No torturing! We only tied him up for... safety measures."

Safety measures? Naruto blinked. "Don't tell me he's trying to go rogue."

There was a bit of humor in his voice, Konohamaru noticed. He almost laughed.

Instead, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "No, but this is an impossible situation."

The blond mentally noted that they were heading towards the door guarded by two heavily armed Jounin. You'd think that they were there to keep people from going in, but Naruto knew that their true purpose was to keep Boruto from going out.

_Damn it, just what the hell did that kid do_? He thought.

Konohamaru muttered to himself as he unlocked the door. "I hope both of them are awake this time."

Despite his confusion, Naruto didn't say anything. But as soon door swung open, he had a million more questios.

_What in the_...

There, in the center of the room, was his son. His hands were tied together behind the chair, and on his wrists were thick, steel bands that Naruto knew to be chakra restraints. And across from him?

Another Boruto, who was more or less in the same predicament. The only difference between the two was that this one was unconscious.

"Dad! Finally! Can you tell them to let me go? I don't really know what I did, but—"

Ino's sharp voice interjected. "Didn't I tell you not to speak unless we asked you to? One more word and I'll have Shikamaru here make sure you never speak again."

At this, the young blond pursed his lips and stared down into his lap, frustrated.

It was an empty promise, Naruto knew. They weren't going to hurt his son. But he'd be lying if he said he wasn't concerned. "Ino, Shikamaru, what's going on?"

"Mah, we're still trying to figure that out." The Nara groaned.

_Gee._

"Then... what's with the shadow clone?" Blue eyes scrutinized the immobile copy of his son. Why did they need two of him?

Boruto's brows furrowed. "That's not—"

Ino cut in once more. "That's not a shadow clone. Or any type of clone."

"What? How can you tell?"

Shikamaru shrugged lazily and pointed at the red gash that could be seen on both Borutos' left shoulders. "Because clones usually go poof after being stabbed."

Naruto thought it over. He was right. If it had been a clone, it would've dispersed the moment it got stabbed.

_Wait_...

"You stabbed my son?!"

Konohamaru pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, it happened during the mission we just came back from. That's where _all_ of this happened."

"We split up, all of us. The plan was to regroup after ten minutes but Boruto never showed, so I went looking for him." Konohamaru continued. "And when I found him, he was already duplicated. They were both unconscious and I didn't know what to do, so I brought them both back."

"Could it be a henge?"

The brown-haired Jounin shook his head. "Look for yourself, their chakra signatures are exactly the same. We also did a DNA test. They're definitely both Boruto Uzumaki. Plus..."

Ino took that as her queue to speak up. "I did Shintenshin on both of them. Everything is the same up there. Right now, we have no reason to believe that either of them are fake."

"But we can't tell which one is the original. At least not until the other one wakes up. So we're not going to take any chances..." Shikamaru explained.

_Ah, so that's what Konohamaru meant by 'safety measures'_.

"They can't both be one person, though." Naruto said to no one in particular. It was a difficult concept to grasp.

"I told you it was an impossible situation."

"Boruto, tell us as much as you can remember." Konohamaru's gaze shifted between the sleeping Boruto and the one that stared right back at him.

The boy nodded tentatively. "After we split up, I ran into a woman who said she was looking for the nearest city. She wasn't one of the people we were after and she didn't look threatening, so I assumed she was just some kind of traveler passing through. But then she attacked me out of nowhere. She didn't really hurt me if that's what you're worried about... but still. I don't think hurting me was her intention in the first place."

"That lines up with what I saw in the other Boruto's memories." Ino stated.

Naruto soaked up the story. "If she didn't want to hurt you, why'd she attack you?"

"I think she needed my blood." Boruto stared at the wound on his shoulder."

"For what?"

There was a pause. And then...

"For whatever jutsu she performed," Everyone's eyes widened as the look-alike suddenly lifted his head.

He was awake.

"To create him."

* * *

"Name?"

"Boruto."

"And your last name?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Last name." It was an order, this time.

" _Uzumaki_."

It was impossible to miss the way this Boruto glared at his father as he practically spat out their family name. If he was trying to hide his distaste, he wasn't doing a good job. The Boruto across from him stared incredulously.

"Age?"

"Sixteen."

"Birthdate?"

"Why are we doing this?"

Ino gave him a quizzical look. "Just making sure that you are who we think you are. Now, tell me your birthdate."

"March twenty-seventh."

"Good. What's your mother's full name?"

"Hinata Uz... Hyūga."

The uncertainty in his voice did not go unnoticed by Ino.

"And your father's?"

"Why isn't _he_ being asked all these goddamn questions?" Boruto jerked his head towards his look-alike.

Shikamaru pushed himself off the wall. "Boruto has been awake for quite some time. We've already gone through all of this with him."

"I _am_ Boruto." He hissed in response.

The Nara blinked. Twice. "What a damn drag. One of you is enough."

"We should call this one something else so it doesn't get too confusing." Konohamaru suggested. "Is... is Bolt okay with you?"

"Go ahead." Bolt said with disinterest.

Boruto looked him up and down. "If you're gonna pretend to be me, you could at least try to do it right."

Bolt glared at his other self. "Pretend? I hate to break it to you, but no one's pretending here. We're the same person."

"Bullshit." Boruto scoffed. "In the five minutes you've been awake, you've already made it clear that we're completely different."

Konohamaru stepped forward to end the pointless banter but Naruto held out his hand, stopping him. "Wait, let them talk this out. It might be easier to get some information out of them this way." He whispered.

From the way Ino and Shikamaru simply stood and observed, it seemed like they were thinking the same thing.

"You always do that." Bolt said without expression. "You always act like I don't exist. I get that you're trying to hide it from everyone else, but lately it seems like you've been trying to trick _yourself_ into thinking that I'm not real."

"...What are you talking about?" Boruto's voice became quiet.

A low laugh filled the room. "Come on, Boruto. You know what I'm talking about."

"I don't even know who you are."

Bolt's eyes narrowed to slits. "Fine, play dumb. Just know that you're only making this harder for us all. Don't you think you've caused enough trouble already?"

His words struck a chord in Boruto. "I know that, but—"

"No, I don't think you do. This whole thing is your fault. This is all because you were too weak to defend yourself against some lady. She wasn't even a shinobi! Are you really that helpless?"

"She tricked me!"

"And only you would be stupid enough to beleive that!" Boruto broke the eye contact with his look-alike and shifted uncomfortably, much to Bolt's dismay. "You really are pathetic."

Bolt was slowly getting on Naruto's nerves. His words were brutal, and in his eyes Naruto could see pure, unadulterated hatred.

_They can't seriously be the same person_ , Naruto thought to himself.

"Why are you doing this?" Boruto kept his gaze on his lap and refused to look anywhere else. He could feel the four adults watching intently. It was unsettling.

"Doing what? Telling the truth? You've gotten pretty good at hiding it but as long as I'm here, I'm going to make sure that everyone knows what you're really like. Your friends will realize that you're still the same useless idiot that cheated in the Chūnin Exams all those years ago. You haven't changed, Boruto. And I know you know this."

Naruto looked to the other three adults in the room. Clearly, they were just as taken aback and confused as he was. His eyes fell back onto Boruto and he watched as the boy struggled to find the right words to say.

"That isn't true. I'm different now." Boruto's voice was taut.

Bolt licked his lips. "No, you aren't. You're always needing to be saved because you can't do anything by yourself. You hold everyone back."

Bolt's words echoed in Boruto's head. It wasn't the first time he'd had such self-degrading words floating around in there, but there was something about hearing someone say it out loud that made him feel like it was.

"You're wrong. You're lying." Boruto's vision blurred and he shut his eyes to prevent the tears from falling.

"Stop trying to convince yourself otherwise. We both know how much easier everyone's lives would be if you just died."

"That's not true!"

"But isn't it _exactly_ what you were thinking when you tried to throw yourself off the Hokage rock?"

Boruto's head quickly snapped up. "Shut up!"

"That's enough!" Ino stepped forward, silencing the two boys. It was escalating quickly and she knew she had to stop it before things got out of hand.

Surprisingly, Shikamaru was the first one to break the silence that came after Ino's intervention. "Bolt, you obviously don't have good intentions here. So I'm only going to ask you this once and you better answer truthfully..."

A curt chuckle from Bolt was the only response he got.

"Who are you?"

Bolt sighed. "I already told you. I'm Boruto."

"Do you really expect us to believe that after what just happened?" Naruto crossed his arms.

He looked to the real Boruto, who kept his head down. The kid was trying to prevent his breathing from becoming erratic and the sight nearly broke Naruto's heart.

"No, I don't." Bolt stared into Naruto's eyes and once again, the older blond couldn't help but notice how different they were from Boruto's. "Because I'm the part of Boruto that he doesn't want anyone to see."

"I'm his inner self."


End file.
